Father Knows Best
by purplehairedwonder
Summary: Ranka knew Haruhi loved Tamaki long before she did.


**Author's Note: **The idea for this fic came after I saw an Ouran AMV titled "I Loved Her First." It was too cute and perfect not to write about. That, and Tamaki x Haruhi is awesome. Comments and criticisms welcome!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Ouran High School Host Club_.

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Father Knows Best

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Ranka knew Haruhi loved Tamaki long before she herself did. After all, his daughter was stupid when it came to love, and father knows best. She wondered why her father was harsher on "Tamaki-senpai" than the other members of the Host Club, but a father is never ready to give up his little girl, and no suitor would ever be good enough for her in his eyes.

Admittedly, Ranka had been worried about Haruhi spending so much time with these rich, handsome boys when she needed to be concentrating on her schoolwork, but when he saw them together, he couldn't help but feel relieved that they cared so much for his precious daughter. And that was where Tamaki had come in.

True, their first introduction had been when Ranka had walked in on a particularly inopportune moment that they both swore was an accident, but Ranka had heard plenty about the Suou heir from Kyouya. He was supposed to be a shameless flirt that liked to hear himself talk.

But he was also a genuinely warm person who was only happy when the people around him were happy.

And he was incredibly dense when it came to things about himself, like feelings of love.

Just like Haruhi.

Ranka supposed it wasn't surprising that he had quickly figured out that Tamaki's assertions of fatherly love toward Haruhi were a thinly veiled excuse for his own affection. What did surprise him was that Tamaki seemed completely unaware of this. And Haruhi appeared completely oblivious of it as well. Somehow, that mutually cluelessness made them seem a perfect fit for each other.

When Ranka and the Host Club boys had stalked Haruhi at the grocery store, Ranka had noticed the faraway look in Tamaki's eyes as he watched Haruhi navigate around the store while the other boys explored the "commoner market." As Ranka had explained Haruhi's independent streak, he could see Tamaki's mind processing the information—perhaps subconsciously since the boy seemed so thick most of the time. He seemed a little _too_ understanding for Ranka's liking… thus he had slapped him upside the head.

The more time Haruhi spent with Tamaki, the more it became obvious that there were feelings on both sides. Unfortunately, the situation had the ironic twist of involving the two densest people in the world when it came to matters of the heart. But Ranka found himself wondering on more than one occasion why his daughter had to fall for Tamaki of all the members of the Host Club. Why did it have to be the blonde one? Why did it have to be the loud one? Why did it have to be the one who he had found sprawled across his daughter alone in their apartment?

When he and the Host Club had joined forces to infiltrate the Zuka Club to rescue Haruhi from their performance, he had seen once more the feelings for Haruhi flare to life that the boy himself was unaware of. In a rare moment of maturity, he had been willing to allow Haruhi to continue on in the play since she seemed to be enjoying herself. He didn't want to ruin her fun—as Haruhi complained he had a habit of doing. And when they realized the Zuka Club had laid a trap for them all, Tamaki's insistence on protecting Haruhi had reminded Ranka a little too much of a fairy prince riding to the rescue of his princess.

Luckily things hadn't ended nearly so well. For a time, Ranka still had Haruhi to himself.

As time went on, he wondered if there was a way to keep the two from realizing what they felt about each other. But Ranka had immediately disregarded the idea. Tamaki Suou might be a ditz, but if Haruhi loved him, then there was nothing he could do about it. He would do right by her (if he ever figured out that his affections were misdirected), that much Ranka could tell. And Haruhi had every right to be happy. But that didn't mean Ranka had to like it.

It had taken Haruhi longer than Ranka expected to figure out what she felt for Tamaki, and though she never told him directly, the way her outlook had suddenly changed to a more active and optimistic attitude he hadn't seen of her since before her mother's death, Ranka knew it could only be because of Tamaki's influence. As Haruhi approached life more actively, Ranka could only wonder how much longer she would be only his to hold.

She went out more, was willing to try new things, and seemed more interested in merely experiencing things than her bookish self had been before. Ranka watched on in knowledgeable silence, having long since figured out what his daughter felt.

He supposed now the matter was waiting for Tamaki to figure it out. Maybe he could dissuade Haruhi before that happened…?

No, he trusted his daughter to do what was best for herself. Just because he didn't think there was anyone good enough for her didn't mean she thought that way. And her happiness was what mattered. So he, Ranka, would continue on pestering Tamaki because he wasn't quite ready to give up his precious daughter to another. He knew he eventually would (and it could really be awhile, considering Tamaki, according to Kyouya), but for now, he abided by the fact that father knows best. After all, he knew before they did.

And when they finally came together, he would be sure to hold that over their thick heads.


End file.
